Machine for washing plates, dishes, and other articles used for meals



R. NUNDY FbQ 19, 1946.

MACHINE FOR WASHING IfLATEs, DIsHEs, AND OTHER ARTICLES USED FOR MEALsf Filed Oct. 8,' 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iv VEA/roe @any A TTORNEK Feb. 19, 1946. R uNDY 2,395,009

MACHINE FOR WASHING PLATES, DISHES, AND OTHER ARTICLES USED FOR HEALS Filed Oct. 8. 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @awww/My www R. NUNDY MACHINE FOR WAJSHING PLATES, DAISHES, AND OTHER ARTICLES USED FOR MEALS s Smets-sheet 3 Filed Oct. 8, 1943 Uhum.

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` Patented Feb.'19, 1946 MACHINE FOR WASHING PLATES, DISHES, AND OTHER ARTICLES USED FOR MEALS Richard Nundy, Penn, Wolverhampton,

. England Application October .18, 1943, Serial No. 505,546

In Great Britain August 13, 1941 11 Claims.V (Cl. 134-4112) I'he invention relates to washing plates, dishes and other articles used for meals, andv has for its object to provide a novel or improved machine for such purpose.

A machine constructed according to the invention comprises an outer or stationary drum and an inner drum each disposed with its axis horizontal, the inner drum being adapted to be turned within the outer drum. The outer Adrum has a relatively large peripheral opening, the upper part to receive the articles, preferably-from a convenient chute.1and the lower part being forthe articles to pass out through it, preferably on to a suitable conveyor; or the outer drum may have two openings one to receive the articles and the other to allow the articles to pass out. The inner drum contains a chamber of wire gauze or fine wire mesh extending substantially the whole length of the drum and being preferably somewhat triangular or parabolic'in shape in crossl section, the apex of the triangle or-parabola exing opening in the periphery of the inner drum.

'Ihe inner drum is rotated, one revolution at a.

time, such as by Van electric motor: and clutch means are provided to disconnect, the driveautomatically when the opening of the inner drum comes opposite the upper opening in the outer drum or the .upper part of a. single opening therein. A plate, dish or other article or articlesl are then inserted, such as by passing them down the chute, and it, or they, enter the gauze chamangular or parabolic formation of the chamber ensures that the article or articles will turn over during the washing operation. I

As the. articlesv leave the drums they may be passed down on to a'suitable .conveyor extending through a heateddrying chamber.

A convenient embodiment of the invention is described with reference to thedrawings here with, of which- Figure 1 is a side view showing somewhat diagrammatic form.

AFigure 2 is a transverse section taken on the irregular line 2, 2, of Figure 1.

-Figure 3 is an end view, partly broken away, toshow parts within, and looking in the direction of the arrow at the extreme left hand end of Figure 1.

FigureA 4 is a fragmentary sectional'vie'w, to-an enlarged scale, the section being taken in the plane indicated by the line 4,14, of Figure 2.

In these drawings, 5 indicates the Vouter or iixed drum. lIt hasan opening at one side extending substantially the length of the druman'd having a peripheral depthextending between the numerals 6 and 'll in Figure 1. Withinthe drum 5 is a rotatable drum 8 o1' a diameter sulciently less than that of the drum li to allow of its free rotation therein. Fixed within the drum 8 is a chamber-9 of wire gauze'and of somewhatl parabolic form. The apex Il) of the chamber .is distanced away from the wall of the inner drum. The drum 8 has a peripheralopen'ing Il, Il, so

that the chamber 9 is completely open at its base.

lthey slide, or are impelled by hand, one at'a time,

- intothe chamber 9. A clutch i3 (see Figures 2 ber. The clutch is then engaged by hand when the inner drum makes a revolution and again stops. 'I'he movement of the inner drum automatically opens a passage for the hot water and automatically closesit when the opening in the inner drum comes opposite the lower openingor lower part of the opening in the outer drum. Meanwhile the article 0r articles -are subjected to the actionof the hot water jets on both sides and, owing to the shape of the chamber. it or they turn over. The wire gauze or mesh affords and 3) is then operated by ahandle I4 (see Figure 1) and the drum 8with the chamber 9 commences to rotate. As soon as the bottom of the opening Il, il, reaches the point;v 1 the drum 8 becomes closed,'and, at'this point of time, hot water is turned on to ow to tubes I5 iixed in the drum' immediately outside the chamber 9 andthe tubes have holes lia through which jets of water are directed through the gauze wall ot' the chamber 9 and on to the article or articles Within. l

'At the bottom of the drum 5 is a well I6 to receive water flowing down through the, 'gauze wall of the chamber 9, and in the well are a number of impellers lia which agitate the water in the well and at the bottom ofthe drum 5 throwing the machine in it up over the article in the chamber. when the mouth ofthe chamber 9 comes opposite the well. To prevent thearticle falling into the well at this time a gauze cover I1 has moved to position covering the mouth of the chamber 9 so thatl the article rests on the gauze cover.

When the lower' edge of the` opening II, II, reaches the point the article can slide'out from the chamber 9 through the opening 9. 1,.of the drumv 5, and fall on to a conveyor I9 provided with rubber cushions I9. The gauze cover I1 hasin the meantime moved clear of the opening II, II. Below the conveyor is a sump 29 and above it a chamber 2| strongly heated by an electric heating element 22. The articles follow each other along the conveyor and pass out dry i from the chamber 2I through a flap door 23. Water draining from the articles as they leave the chamber 9 passes down through the conveyor into the sump 29, also water from the drum 5 is allowed to overflow into .the sump 29 at a point just below the bottom of the opening 9, 1.

When the drum 9 and chamber 9 come to the position shown in Figure 1 the clutch I3 is automatically thrown out. The clutch is not .described in detail and may be of a known type. The part 33 has on it a striker 33a which, at the end of each revolution, strikes a lever 33h which moves back the inner clutch member and disengages it from the outer member'. 33e is a hand lever .connecting with the main shaft through a free-wheeled device: thus by moving up the lever the drum is rotated and the striker- 33a leaves the lever 33h so.that the clutch reengages.

The right hand end, as seen looking at Figure 2, of the outer drum 5 is permanently closed by a wall 24 but its left hand'end is closed by a removable cover 25 secured by wing nuts` 29. The right hand end of the inner drum is also permanently closed by a wall 21; but its left hand it will close the aperture I I, II, before the article can fall out from the chamber 9, into the well and will open it again before the lower edge of the opening II, II, reaches the point 9.

After removal of the cover the inner drum can be completely removed its journal block 32 sliding out from the internal splines of the sleeve 33. The chamber 9 and the gauze cover I1 remain in the drum 9. Access for cleaning is obtained through the spider 29 and the aperture II,V II, of the chamber 9. The interior of the drum 5 and the well I9 are also open for cleaning.

The water supply to the tubes I5 is derived from a. hot water tank 44.fed from a header tank 45 through a ball valve 46. Within the tank 44 are electric heating elementsj41 one of which is shown in Figure 3. Water is pumped from the tank 44 by a pump unit 49 (see Figure l) driven .by chain and sprocket gear 49a from the shaft I9b which drives the impellers I5a.' This shaft is driven by chain-and-sprocket gear from a bevel wheel 59 engaging with a bevel wheel 5I on the end of the shaft of the motor 39.

The pump unit 49 delivers the hot water to a port 52 (see Figures 2 and 4) in the bearing 34. The sleeve 33 has a groove 53 extending round the greater part of its periphery and opposite the port 52. Between the ends of the groove 53 is a solid portion 54 which, by covering the port 52, stops the water supply to the groove 53 during the time any part of the opening II, II, is exposed to the opening 6, 1. The groove 9 is in constant communication witha central bore 54a in the journal block 32 and from the bore 54a the tubes I5 are fedgby radial pipes 55.

The journal block 32, after having been removed from the sleeve 33, must of course be replaced in the same position relative thereto, and

end is left open except for a spider 29 carrying a.y journal l29, the purpose of which is described hereinafter. The Journal is carried by the spider and supports one end of the frame 49. It does not support the chamber I5 'and has no need to do so, since the chamber I5 is carried by the rotatable drum 9.

The inner drum is', at its left hand end, supyported for rotation by a set of rollers 39 having axles carried in a.. channel 3| of the drum 5. The right handl endyof the inner drum 9 is supported by a journal block 32 splined within a sleeve 33 which is adapted 'to turn in a bearing 34 fixed to the outer surface of the wall 24. The sleeve 33 is driven through the clutch I3 by a chain sprocket wheel 35. This latter is constantly driven from an electric motor 39 through a second sprocket wheel 35a, chain 39, and worm gear 31. The chain 39 also drives the conveyor I9 by the sprocket wheel I9a.

Joumalled on ball bearings of the block 32 is an end frame 39 supporting the right hand end of the gauze cover I1, the left hand end of which is supported by a frame 49 Journalled on a ball bearing of the journal 29 already referred to. The frames 99 and 49, also carry a counterweight 4I to over balance theweight of the cover I1 and tend to impel it to the position shown in Figure 1.' In the frame 39 is a concentric slot 42 in which engages a stud 43 (see Figure 1) carried by the wall 21 'and by the engagement of this stud against the ends of the slot the movement of the cover I1 is controlled to ensure that lfor this reason the splines connecting these parts are irregularly placed.

Water collected in the sump 29 may be pumped therefrom by the pump unit 49 back to the header tank 45. The pump is a double pump having two separate parts. Almost any conventional rotary pump may be used. l

By the provision of removable gauze partitions 59 (see Figure 2) supplied with the machine, and adapted to be inserted as required in the chamber 9, several articles may be washed at the same time without risk of breakage.

Having fully described my invention what l claim land desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for washing articles used for meals and comprising `an outer stationary drum, y

inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said perforated chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets 4of hot water may be directed through the perforations on to the article within the chamber and means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it.

asaaooe 2. A machine for washing'articles used I0;

meals and comprising anouter stationary drum,-

.in the periphery oi said inner drum to receive articles therethroug when said aperture in said inner drum comes pposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed horizontally and adjacent to the outer surface of said perforated chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through y which jets of hot water may be directed through the perforations on to the article within the chamber and means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it.

3. A`.machine for washing articles used for meals and comprising an outer stationary drum, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being disposed with their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said inner drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for the passage of articles therethrough, a perforated chamber of parabolic form xed within said inner drum and extending substantially the whole length thereof, said chamber being open at Vits base to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles therethrough when said aperture in said innerdrum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said`perforated chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets of Ahot water may be directed through the perforations on to the article within the chamber and means for intermittently turning said inner drum together withthe said chamber within it.

4. A machine for washing Y,articles used for Y' meals and comprising an outer stationary drum,

an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer extending substantially the whole length thereof,

said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles therethrough when said aperture'in said inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of saidwire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets of hot water may be directed through the wire gauze on to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, and means whereby the supply of hot water to the tubes is cut oil while the said aperture in the inner drum is coinciding with the said aperture in the outer drum.

5. A machine for washing articles used for meals and comprising an outer stationary drum, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being disposed with their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said inner drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for the passage of articles therethrough, a wire gauze chamber xed within saidinner drum and extending substannauy the whole length thereof,

said chamber being open to theaperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles therethrough when said aperture in said inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said wire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets of hot water may be directed through the wire gauze on to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, a removablel cover at one end of said outer drum, and a driving member'upon which said inner drum' is mounted -in a manner to allow of its being driven thereby but removable endwise therefrom. y

6. A machine for washing articles used for meals and comprising an outer stationary drum,

an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer therethrough when said aperture in said innerdrum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said wire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets of hot' water may be directed through the wire gauze Von to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber Within it, a removable cover at one end of said outer drum, a driving member upon ,s which said inner drum is mounted in a mannersl L,

to allow of its being driven thereby but removable endwise therefrom, said inner drum being open at the end thereof which is presented to said one end of said outer drum and roller bearings` env gaging and supporting the periphery of said inner drum at the respective end thereof. 1

7. A machine for washing articles used for meals 'and comprising an outer stationary drum,

an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outerl drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being f disposed With their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall of'said inner drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for the passage of articles therethrough, a wire gauze chamber xed within said inner drum and extending substantially the whole length thereof,

said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles is intermittently turned, said clutch'being adapted to be engaged by hand and automatically disan aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer v drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being disposed with their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said inner `drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for the passage of articles therethrough, a wire gauze chamber fixed within said inner drum and extending substantially the whole length thereof, said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drumto receivearticles therethrough when saidaperture in said inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said wire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards such chamber through which jets of hot water may be directed through the wire gauze `on to the article within the chamber, and means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, a well at the bottom of said outer drum, impellers turnably mounted in said well .and means for driving said impellers whereby they throvfwater from the well 'over the article when the said open base of the .for the passage of articles therethrough, a wire gauze chamber iixed within said inner drum and extending substantially the whole length thereof, said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles meals and comprising an outer stationary drum, lan aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being disposed with their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall of said inner drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for the passage of articles therethrough, a wire gauze chamber fixed within said inner drum and extending substantially the whole length thereof, said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles therethrough when said aperture in said inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said wire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards said chamber through which jets of hot water may be directed through the wire gauze on to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, `a 4removable cover at one end of said outer drum, a journal at one end of.' said inner drum, a sleeve splined on said journal, a bearing attached to the respective end of said outer drum and supporting said sleeve, said journal being withdrawn from said 'sleeve when saidV inner drum is withdrawn from said outer drum, a port in said bearing, a. hot water supply pipe communicating with said port, a peripheral groove in saidsleeve extending the greater partof the way therearoun'd, a solid portion between the'ends of said groove and adapted to close said port when said aperture in the inner drum is opposite said aperture in the outer drum,

therethrough when said aperture insaid inner drum comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum, tubes for hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said wire gauze chamber, holes in such tubes directed towards such` chamber through which jetsof hot water may be directed through the wire gauze on to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, a well at the bottom of said outer drum, impellers turnably mounted in said well, means for driving said impellers whereby they vthrow water from the well over the article when the said open base or the gauze when said aperture is over said well to prevent said article from falling thereinto.

10. A machine for washing articles used for and a longitudinal passage in said journal connecting said groove with said tubes surrounding said chamber.

11. A machine for washing articles used for meals and comprising an outer stationary drum,

an aperture in the peripheral wall of said outer drum, an inner rotatable drum, both drums being disposed with their axes horizontal, an aperture in the peripheral wall ofvsaid inner drum adapted to register with the aperture of the outer drum for passage of articles therethrough, a perforated chamber fixed within said inner drum and ex-l tending substantially the whole length thereof, said chamber being open to the aperture in the periphery of said inner drum to receive articles therethrough when said aperture in said inner drum' comes opposite the said aperture in the outer drum. tubesfor hot water supply disposed adjacent to the outer surface of said perforated chamber, holes in such tubes directed through the perforations on to the article within the chamber, means for intermittently turning said inner drum together with the said chamber within it, and removable perforated-partitions within said perforated chamber to allow of several articles being washed at the same time without risk of breakage. 1

RICHARD NUNDY. 

